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MEDINA -- If Crestview is to win a fifth straight Div. III district volleyball title and perhaps go much further it needed a test.
The No. 14 seeded Dalton Bulldogs gave the No. 2 seeded Rebels a much needed push in Crestview's 25-18, 25-22, 25-12 district semifinal win on Wednesday at Medina High School.
Crestview, ranked fourth in the Div. III state coaches' poll, moved to 25-0. The Rebels will meet No. 11 seeded Kirtland at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Medina High School for the district title.
Dalton gave the Rebels fits in the first two games before Crestview's depth, athletic ability and experience took over. The Rebels have now won 75 of 76 sets this season with the only game being dropped coming against Mineral Ridge.
Dalton (12-13) on the other hand had won 46 sets and lost 46 sets on the season in finishing fifth in the Wayne County Athletic League. Coming into Wednesday, six teams in the eight team WCAL were still alive in the tournament.
The experience against a WCAL team will likely come in handy for the Rebels if they advance to the regionals as a matchup with Smithville in the regional semifinal could be a possiblity.
For the Rebels, Grace Auer had an all-around match with 15 kills, 23 assists, four blocks, an ace and 10 digs. Abbey Emch had 13 kills, three blocks and 10 digs. Lainy Auer had 12 kills, 14 assists, an ace and 18 digs. Julia Blasko had eight kills, two blocks and nine digs. Natalie Blakeman had eight digs. Emily Downey added eight digs and Lydia Campbell had three blocks.
In the other district semifinal, Kirtland (16-8) dropped Northeast 8 champion and No. 3 seed Lakeview 25-21, 25-21, 25-20.
The Hornets will not be a new opponent for the majority of the Rebel team. Crestview beat Kirtland 26-24, 25-23, 23-25, 25-17 in the district final last season.
Kenston 3,
West Branch 0
STREETSBORO -- West Branch's volleyball team ran into a buzzsaw in a 25-17, 25-8, 25-8 loss to the No. 2 seeded Kenston Bombers in a Div. II district semifinal on Wednesday at Streetsboro High School.
West Branch, the 10th seed, ends its season at 15-10.
Mikalyn Fitts finished the night with four kills and two blocks for the Warriors and Olivia Showalter added two blocks. Carter Shepherd led the team with four service points and both Isabel Martig and Josie Milliken had six assists. Ragan Greeneisen led the defense with nine digs.
Streetsboro will meet Aurora in the district final at 5 p.m. on Saturday at Streetsboro High School. Aurora beat Girard 25-19, 25-19, 26-28, 25-17 to advance.
Mineral Ridge 3,
Columbiana 0
ORWELL -- Mineral Ridge flew under the radar as one of the top volleyball teams in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties this season and Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference champion Columbiana felt the full brunt of the Rams' power with a 25-16, 25-6, 25-13 loss on Wednesday in a Div. III district semifinal at Grand Valley High School.
Mineral Ridge improved to 20-4 with its only losses coming to Girard, Crestview, Western Reserve and Smithville.
Columbiana ended its season at 22-3. The Clippers won their first 18 matches in the season, but went 4-3 the rest of the way.
For the Clippers against Ridge, Ellie Jackson had five kills, three assists, four points and nine digs. Cameron Perkins added five assists and four digs. Ava Heinrich had six points and 11 digs. Kelsey Cameron had three kills and a block. Landry Smith had two blocks.
Mineral Ridge will meet Mentor Lake Catholic (24-0) at 7 p.m. on Saturday in the district final at Grand Valley High School.
Mentor Lake Catholic, ranked No. 1 in the Div. III state coaches poll and perhaps the best team across all divisions in the state of Ohio, clobbered Campbell Memorial 25-8, 25-15, 25-5 in its district semifinal on Wednesday.